Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Liberman has declared that his party will not join a coalition with Benjamin Netanyahu or with Joint List MK Ahmad Tibi, journalist Amit Segal reported. The statement sets two red lines for the negotiations that follow Israel's October 27 election for the 26th Knesset.
Neither bloc holds the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-member Knesset. With 85.6% of votes counted, Netanyahu's bloc had 53 seats, the change bloc 48 and the Arab parties 19, Ynet reported. Yisrael Beiteinu had seven seats in that count.
Netanyahu intended to turn to the opposition for unity government partners, after first consulting the parties in his own bloc.
On the same day, Liberman, Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot and Beyachad chairman Naftali Bennett were in talks on a joint bid to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana even before a government is formed. Ynet reported that securing a majority for the move would also require support from lawmakers representing the Arab parties. Tibi said of Ohana: "We will vote to bring him down."
